Angling for the Story

by Kelly

Storytelling in photography. 

It is about communicating an idea, a message, or an experience with a viewer through a photo or series of photo. And in lifestyle photography (a multidisciplinary style of capturing ordinary life in an artistic way), storytelling is always the primary goal. 

As photographers, one of the best ways to add visual interest to our stories is to take a variety of shots from many different angles. In this way, it places the emphasis on different aspects of the story. Then when the individual images are put together in a photo essay, the contrast between the photos moves the story forward, and at the same time, adds interest to the overall story.

I recently completed my Week in the Life™ project which is basically a week-long photo essay.  And I thought today I might share with you some of my favorite shooting techniques and how I like to use angles to help tell the story in my photos.

#1) Shooting from the Hip

In its most literal sense, ‘shooting from the hip’ is a technique where you hold your camera at hip level and take the shot without using the viewfinder. My interpretation of this technique is to shoot at the same level as my subject, whether it’s at my kitchen table or out in the backyard.

I would say this is my go-to way of shooting…getting down closer to my subjects or standing at eye level. It is the way I ‘see’ things and I think it has become a defining aspect of my style.  And what I love about shooting this way is that I feel like it places the emphasis on the action that is taking place. The viewer is no longer a casual observer, but rather, it places them right there with me in the midst of the action.

#2) Inside Out

As a self-described homebody, I spend a great deal of time in my house. As I walk from room to room, I am always looking outside – whether it’s standing at the front door watching a storm blow in or standing in the kitchen looking out on my backyard. My view, is a big part of my everyday experience and so therefore, I think it only seems natural that I would want to capture that in my photos.

Whenever I am trying to capture a scene from inside my house, I like to include a piece of the door or window since those are most often the ‘frame’ through which we view the outside. To me, including windows and doors in my images adds a sense of place or perspective which helps to tell that story.

#3) Leading Lines

Leading lines are a powerful tool to draw a viewer into the story of a photo. (It’s our May theme too!) Whether straight or curved, leading lines move the viewer’s eye throughout the frame which then adds dimension and depth to an image.

Leading lines can take on many forms…rivers, roads, fences are the obvious choices. But I find that sometimes a more subtle expression of that can be just as intriguing.  Such as the edge of a countertop or the curve of a plate or bowl.

#4) Looking Up

I spend most of my days looking forward – working, driving, cooking, reading. For the most part, this is where the action in my life happens. This is the frame of reference for my story, so to speak. But something happens when I change my perspective and turn my camera upwards toward the sky. For me it is accompanied by a certain feeling of smallness. Which I don’t think of as a negative thing. To me it’s more about accepting my own physical limitations while at the same time appreciating the limitless nature of the universe.

When shooting towards the sky, I usually include some part of the scene to give a sense of place…anchor the story so-to-speak. This might be leaves of tree against a beautiful blue sky or a silhouette of my neighbor’s house against a brilliant sunset.  

#5) Looking down/Flat Lay

Whereas looking up often transcends the minutiae of ordinary life, looking down draws a viewer right back into it.  And depending on how much or how little of the scene is included, this perspective places the emphasis and focuses the story on the subjects included in the frame.

Think about the ‘from where I stand’ perspective. It’s such a simple storytelling device - two individual subjects – a person (or people) and a place (tile floor, beach, forest, etc.), the details of which tell one unified story.  This perspective is also used in a ‘flat lay’ which is really nothing more than a styled arrangement of an assortment of items. It’s all the rage on Instagram, and I think one of the reasons it’s so popular is that it focuses the viewers attention directly on the elements presented and removes any possibility of distraction from the setting or outside environment.

#5) Macro

Macro is the story of the details. From the wispiest hairs to the tiniest insects, macro photography immerses the viewer into another world by bringing things into view that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

When it comes to storytelling with macro photography, the actual object itself becomes less of the subject so the challenge is to capture the details while still giving the viewer some idea of what they are looking at.  (That is unless you are going for more of an abstract image which would be another blog post for another time.)

There are many ways to tell the story in a photo and this is by no means a comprehensive list.  But for me, these are tried and true techniques for helping me capture the heart and magic in my photos. These are my favorite angles for helping me to tell the story of my life.

Before I sign off, I would love to hear what some of your favorite angels in photography are.  Also, we would love for you to join us as we explore ‘leading lines’ as our monthly theme!

Until next time,

Kelly

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Storytelling

by Leigh

There is a difference between photography and visual storytelling.  It's easy to take a photograph, but it can be more challenging to take a photograph that tells a story.  Sometimes pictures are taken in a series, but I prefer to seek out photos that can stand alone.  These types of photos draw you in and make you feel like part of the story.  Our camera is our tool we use to tell the story....not only capturing a moment in time, but something more.

Want to be a better visual storyteller?  Here are some tips:

1. Find a subject you're passionate about. All good storytellers create stories that matter to them.  For some people it's showing their travels, for others it's the natural world.  For me, my stories revolve around two loves of my life....my children and nature.

2. Paint a picture.  Sometimes a picture of a person isn't enough.  Showing context around the photo gives more adjectives to your story and becomes more of a descriptive narrative. Not only does the environment add perspective, but it also adds meaning.

3. Keep it simple.  When we over think things they become too contrived.  A viewer tends to easily escape in a storytelling image, while one that is overworked requires more effort.  Simplicity is key.  When you let yourself go and follow your own emotion then your image will reflect that.  

4. Be on the lookout for details.  You all know how much I love little details.  It's kind of my thing.  Asking yourself what is the story you want to tell?  That will lead you to your focus.  In the photo above my focus was on the leaf.  I didn't need to show her face to tell the story. 

5. Find your niche.  Find what interests you and create a story.

"There's always room for a story that can transport people to another place." J.K. Rowling  

Every Photo Has A Story

by Dotti

Here at FOL, we have preached loud, long and often about the practice of seeking beauty, finding it in our lives and capturing it with our lenses. But a few weeks ago, my thoughts began to wander in a different direction: photographs tell stories. This is not a new concept and sure enough, as soon as I began to plan a post on this theme, I found three more bloggers thinking in a similar vein.

Kim Klassen

Kim Manley Ort

Sarah Huizenga (aka Paisley Rainboots)

So, I perused some of my photos from 2015 and set myself to the task of finding the stories they told.

After 5 days in Paris, she went to Venice, or Venezia, as the Italians call it. It was an epic adventure for an 8-year old American girl. The sun was so bright in Italy, she decided she needed a cap to help keep the glare from her eyes and sun from her face, a cap which proudly announced where she was, “Venezia”. It was here that she discovered gelato and it was love at first bite. As she enjoyed her new favorite treat, she savored the sights, sounds and smells coming through the open window overlooking the busy street.

Oh, my! Traveling is fun but can be so exhausting. Now in Florence, or Firenze, she’d seen Michaelangelo’s magnificent David and the famed Duomo, and was now spending a morning in the Pitti Palace gardens. But all the walking and climbing and playing of the past days had tired her out and her father gave her a much-appreciated piggy-back ride up the hill on that garden path.

Pompeii. We all know that story. How thousands of years ago, in 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted into a giant volcano, spewing hot boiling lava and ash down on the city of Pompeii. For its time, Pompeii was quite a sophisticated city in the Roman Empire. Today it is almost unbelievable to see how anything survived the rolling inferno which killed so many and sobering to see thosethat same ruins. But today it is also possible to see that amidst the remnants of this ancient city new life and new beauty can be found surrounding it all.

Without a sound, the snow came as we slept, falling all night long and covering our world with several inches of white fluff. Schools would be closed; some businesses, too, no doubt. The day would be less noisy with the blanket of white that always seemed to deaden the noise of everyday life. And through it all, stood the old bench.

The bench had seen the teen-age girl become a young lady. It had seen the toddler granddaughter climb on it and play. But as age and weather took its toll, the old bench became less steady, unsafe. It became a favorite place for the photographer to take photos because of the wonderful weathering and texture on its surface. But now the bench seat leaned at a 45 degree angle, beyond repair. Good things are known to come to an end. Even things that are much loved.

Snowy, cold winter days call for the warmth and comfort of hot tea and yummy tea treats. On this snow day, the granddaughter and grandmother enjoyed orange-spice tea and cranberry-orange muffins. What better way to prepare and serve it than in their favorite polka-dot teapot?

How about you? Have you ever given much thought to the stories you tell – or could tell – with your photos? After having so much fun myself with this little exercise, I encourage you to look at your photos with fresh eyes to see what stories they hold. It’s not only fun but enlightening as well.It may give you new insight into how you see the world around you as it unfolds.

I’d love for you to post photos on our Flickr or IG pages and attach a little story to it, just for fun. You might be surprised what you come up with.

As for me, this week while I’m in Phoenix with the other FOL Life Sisters, I’ll not only be looking for the beauty around me, I’ll be looking for the stories I can tell with my camera about our time together. 

Stitching Together Moments

by Kim

"After nourishment, shelter and companionship,

stories are the thing we need most in the world."

-Philip Pullman

We are all storytellers, all of us, in one way or another. It may be passing on family legends, or sharing our own experiences like Cathy shared with us. We use spoken words, written and with music, interpretation through art and sculptures and even with our cameras to relate these stories.

Stories help to define who we are and the world we live in and its been going on since the dawn of time. The way in which we tell these stories may change over time, but I think our purpose will always remain the same...to pass on traditions, to entertain us, and by sharing our own experiences hopefully to help us understand each other and ourselves better.

I've mentioned here before that for the past several years I've had the privilege to be on the sidelines at the high school football games. Not just to tell their story through my lens, but to be part of it.

I no longer feel like the awkward stranger on the field with a camera. The players have incorporated me into their story even though I'm not in it visually. . .with high fives and sweaty hugs, and they graciously make room for me and my lens when I need to be in just the right spot.

My goal isn't to just capture a contact sport. . .

Because football is much more than touchdowns and tackles,

much more than a win or a loss.

Football is being part of a team whether you are a player, coach, fan, the band or the dance team. And it goes without saying that it takes a whole lot of volunteers even though they may not always be seen as characters in the story.

Stories have a beginning, a middle and an end, and for a Friday night football game that relates to about 5 fast and furious hours. And trust me, divert your eyes for just a second and you will miss something spectacular (like your sons tackle.)

With 5 seconds left in the game, tied at 44 we kicked a 37 yard field goal for the win! That would be why you see one of the offensive coaches on the ground (above) tackled at the end of the game.

In the image above I combined two images to help me tell a story. The boy not in uniform is a student trainer and just recently went through treatments for leukemia. The team dedicated the game to him and wore gold laces in his honor. 

I'm not sure I've ever considered myself a storyteller, either verbally or visually. But each week I find myself trying to find ways to tell the story better. New perspectives and fresh eyes to capture and relate the emotion...to tell the stories about the people I know, doing the things they love.

And I'm honored that they allow me to share in their story!

One day last summer . . .

by Kim

One day last summer, at a sunrise . . . 

This I believe . . . there are no coincidences in life.

Things happen for a reason.

I hadn't been to the sunrise in months, and had a really bad nights sleep, but for some reason I felt the need to go on this morning. And this woman doing Tai Chi, she usually goes to the park, but said she felt the need to be by the water.

As I walked by to leave, I wondered to myself if she would mind that I took her picture, and at the same time she turned to ask if I could take hers with her phone. And after talking for a few minutes I offered to snap some shots and send them to her, and she offered for me to join her in the class she teaches for free.

She practices slow movement to revert the core to stillness, to collect energy from our surroundings. Yes!

Two strangers brought together on a not so random morning to help each other . . . and when we said goodbye she grabbed both of my hands into hers and there was just this incredible connection.

Never underestimate and be open to your encounters with others, with strangers. That was my reminder one morning last summer, at a sunrise. 

"Meeting a stranger can be totally fleeting and meaningless, for example,

unless you enter the individual's world by finding out at least one thing

that is meanfingful to his or her life and exchange at least one genuine

feeling. Tuning in to others is a circular flow: you send yourself out

toward people; you receive them as they respond to you."

 - Deepak Chopra

Tell A Story

by Judy

It was finally daylight and the Mother and child were still moving.  They had walked most of the night, looking over their shoulders often.  They did not know who it was that was following them, but they knew they needed to get away...

The young Mother sighed with relief when they finally reached the magical forest. Even as her daughter still clung tightly to her, she knew they would be OK.  Here in the trees that towered over them, here is where they were going to be able to stop. To breathe. To stay. This was the magical place they had only heard about.  Here is where they would be safe.

I had only seconds to look at this scene, to take in what I was seeing, to follow their steps with my camera and to compose my shot.  But in those few seconds I knew I had to capture what I was feeling.  The Mother carrying her child through the snow - the trees that dwarfed them, the soft morning light.  It just seemed magical to me.  To me it looked like a fairy tale. 

We've all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words.  We've all heard that a picture tells a story. On this day, with this photo, I was keenly aware of the story that I wanted to tell, and of the feelings I wanted to convey when I pressed the shutter button.  

The wonderful thing about photography is that different people will get different stories from the same photograph. Our view of the world, our attitudes, our personality, and our mood at the time are all likely to play a part in our interpretation.  And that's OK.  That is art.

Maybe I saw a fairy tale scene because I was in an especially happy, carefree mood that morning. Maybe this scene brought back memories of an illustration in a children's book read to me years ago. Maybe it was the lighting.  Who knows exactly what made me feel the way I did about the scene unfolding in front of me?

I knew what I wanted to convey, and to me, this photo does that. But some of you, maybe all of you, looked at this photo and perceived it differently.  What did you see? What did you feel?  I'd love to hear your story of this photo! Remember - there are no wrong answers!